I missed this performance by Magnetic Fields front man Stephin Merritt at KEXP earlier this year. Words cannot express my love for this man and his gorgeous music.
I have tickets to see Sufjan Stevens’ “Surfjohn Stevens Christmas Sing-A-Long: Seasonal Affective Disorder Yuletide Disaster Pageant on Ice” show when it comes to town in the beginning of December. Seeing this video makes me equally excited and frightened for what’s in store.
Thank god Sharon Van Etten released this new video from her early 2012 release, Tramp. I put this album down shortly after SXSW and forgot to pick it up again. Until now. Good stuff.
Take the best parts of Passion Pit, Tilly and the Wall and Mates of State and you end up with Norway‘s Team Me, at least that’s what it seems like from the only song I’ve heard of theirs, “With My Hands Covering Both of My Eyes I Am Too Scared to Have A Look At You Now.”
Great song. Pretty crazy video, too.
I’ve not heard of the Wooden Sky, but this video, and this song, “I’m Your Man,” from their album Every Child a Daughter, Every Moon a Sun, is downright haunting.
That guitar. Those chords. That SOLO.
Must learn more.
There goes Grizzly Bear, “Yet Again” with the crazy music videos. This song’s from their recently-released album Shields.
I really like the place Jon Hamm has taken in pop culture, willing to make himself look like a fool day in and day out. Here he is in Aimee Mann’s awesome new video for her song “Labrador” from her new album Charmer.
The video is a complete scene-for-scene remake of ’Til Tuesday’s hit “Voices Carry,” with some comic twists. As you probably already know, Aimee got her start as the lead singer in ’Til Tuesday, and that video came out in 1985. This new version of the video has Aimee reprising her role, with Jon Hamm directing, and Superchunk/Mountain Goats’ Jon Wurster as her love interest. Also starring Ted Leo, Michael Hausman, Daniel Ralston and Leah Giblin.
Chris Hardwick, Rob Corddry, Anna Kendrick and Fraggles: nothing could signal the triumphant return of Ben Folds Five better. “Do It Anyway” is the first single from the band’s recently released fifth full-length, The Sound Of The Life Of The Mind. I like Ben Folds’ solo work, but I’m super excited that he got the band back together.
David Byrne and St. Vincent, with “Who” from their forthcoming collaboration Love This Giant. This video is pretty much exactly what I thought a video with these two wackadoo performers would be like.
Not sure what to think of this new Moonface video, but hey, it’s Spencer Krug. From the 2012 album, With Siinai: Heartbreaking Bravery.
Here’s something interesting: Nigel Godrich (he who has produced many Radiohead and Beck albums) has a new project: Ultraísta.
Imagine Thom Yorke’s Eraser, but a little more radio friendly, and a lot more Garbage-y. The video above is for the song “Smalltalk,” and you can hear a couple other songs over on Soundcloud.
The debut album comes out October 2. Looking forward to it!
Gaghlehslfeulfyalllllfllgllll……… That’s how these guys make me feel: braindead and drooling in amazement at how they continue to exceed expectations.
New Frightened Rabbit. LOVE these guys.
New EP State Hospital comes out September 24.
Here’s Academy-award winner Laura Linney posing as Aimee Mann in the latter’s title song from her forthcoming eighth studio album Charmer.
And John Hodgman makes a cameo.
“Hell Broke Luce” from Tom Waits’ 2011 album Bad As Me is my favorite song of his from the past five years. This video, directed by old-school video director Matt Mahurin, does the gritty song well.
Here‘s the Shins with “It’s Only Life” from this year’s Port of Morrow.
I’m not so sure I love the song, but I definitely love this video. It was directed by Hiro Murai, who also directed a fantastic video for St. Vincent’s “Cheerleader.”
James Mercer being dragged by his feet along the grass by strange pitch-black creatures in a post-apocalyptic world = pitch perfect.
The Walkmen, at their best with “The Love You Love” from their latest album, Heaven. The video is in beautiful black and white. Not sure if there should be anything read into this, as the video itself makes little sense.
“The quintet has begun a series of re-recordings of its catalog material and “wrestled control of our career back” from the Universal Music Group.”
Here’s a very earnest cover of the Flaming Lips’ “Do You Realize??” sung by J. Tillman, otherwise known as Father John Misty.
In 3D.
She’s still got it.
Fiona Apple, with “Every Single Night” from her new album The Idler Wheel Is Wiser Than the Driver of the Screw and Whipping Cords Will Serve You More Than Ropes Will Ever Do. Got to see her at SXSW back in March and was able to confirm my teenage crush is still in full swing.
Sasquatch! 2012 Coverage
I’ve just returned from my annual pilgrimage to George, Washington for four lovely days of music at the one and only Gorge. I was there thanks to the press pass procured from my fantastic editor-in-chief over at Another Rainy Saturday, Chris Burlingame. He gets me in the door, I write the reviews of my experience. Easy peasy.
You can read the individual days’ coverage at these links:
The most exciting set of the entire weekend was by teen faves fun. Discovering fun. now (about 6 months behind the popular curve) shows my age and proclivity to not want to listen to most things found on Top 40 radio. But god damn they were good, and they’re only just beginning to show what they’re capable of.
And be sure to check out the fantastic photos by Another Rainy Saturday photographer Lori Paulson as well.